Uncorked Ventures Blog

Just a really brief update that we'll be shipping January 2015 wine club shipments over the next 3-4 days. Looking at the weather forecast, it appears there is a pretty good set of weather being predicted for the next week to ten days, so we'll have all January shipments out during that time frame.

Please note, with the holiday things may take slightly longer than usual to get to the east coast, so we'll find a nice warm section of the country to have your package spend the weekend.

If you have questions about an upcoming, or even a past shipment, please don't hestitate to drop us an email.

There are not many versatile ways to drink a bottle of wine, you simply open the bottle and pour it into your glass. It’s a fuss free drink. Every once in a while it’s fun to try and spice things up a bit.

A fabulous alternative method for drinking wine is to use it in conjunction with fresh fruit and club soda. This concoction is called Sangria. Even though the origins of this fruity cocktail is not native to the United States, doesn’t make us love it any less. While it is possible to purchase a pre-made version of this drink, it can easily be made at home with a few easy steps. The process is so easy, that it may become your new go-to party drink.

The original Sangria’s were made with the use of red wines, and this is perhaps still the most common ways it’s made. However, this is not the only way that you can make this beverage. Feel free to use any wine that you may have on hand or that you are interested in trying. The best aspect of making Sangria is that it’s completely customizable. It’s a simple recipe that you can continuously tweak until you find the combination that blows you away.

A quick Google search will bring up a slew of easy recipes to use, but that basis for all Sangria is as follows: -bottle of wine -fresh fruit of your choice -sparkling water, club soda or tonic water - sugar (optional to taste) -liquor (such as brandy, optional)

The process of making the drink is as easy as gathering the necessary ingredients. To begin, you will need to chop your fruit and add it to the empty pitcher. Next, add the wine. If you choose add in the optional liquor at this point too. Stir it well to ensure that everything is mixed evenly. At this point it is common to do a taste test, completely normal; you’re creating a masterpiece so why not get a quick glimpse of your hard work. While it is okay to taste it now, understand that the end result will differ greatly. Cover and refrigerate. It’s best if you let the blend sit and marinate overnight, if possible. When you do this it allows the fruit to absorb the flavors of the wine.

When ready, pour in the club soda or sparkling water and stir. Add sugar if needed, but the sugars from the fruit should be enough to sweeten up this lively cocktail. Sip and enjoy. You will need to add an additional bottle of wine or an extra cup or two of the other ingredients depending upon how many people you are serving. Regardless of the crowd size, whether you’re solo or serving 24, the Sangria is sure to please. It’s a great way to enjoy a nice glass of wine. When you’re done, don’t forget to eat the fruit that will be left at the bottom of your glass. Eat it and savor the wine infused flavors. As delicious as this drink is, it’s easy to get caught up and have another one or two to follow. Just remember to please drink responsibly.

(Editor's Note: Yes, it's a bit different for us here at Uncorked Ventures, but we have considered a party pack type of gift basket in the past, so why not consider Sangria? We hope you enjoyed a slightly different and hopefully fun, article)

Is it simply because we like the dry taste of the warm Merlot, or the sweet tingle of the Moscato? Could it be because movies and T.V. shows romanticize wine, that we feel like we want to follow suit?

While many of us drink it for taste alone, we would be remiss to say that we didn’t enjoy the pleasant sense of relaxation that we feel after a glass. The depiction in movies and shows couldn’t be more accurate. You usually see someone opening a bottle after a long day at work or alongside a candlelight dinner. A small glass of wine can indeed help you to relax. Just savoring the taste alone and concentrating on what you inhale with that very first sip, is a sure way to ease your mind off of the day’s woes.

To begin one must notice the obvious when it pertains to wine, the color. There are specifically two distinct classifications of wines, the reds and the whites. One of the major differences between these two is the manner in which they are served. Red wines, such as Merlot’s and Cabernet’s, are known for being served at room temperature. Most reds can offer you powerful warmth, unlike any other, that will be sure to elicit the taste buds with its array of flavors. It’s because of this temperature that we may feel that these wines are often stronger than their lighter counterparts, the whites.

Truth is, not everyone likes their wine warm. Sometimes you may prefer something a bit cooler rather than warm. For those that love the taste of a red but prefer it to be chilled, feel free to call in a red such as the Lambrusco. The red is best served chilled, and offers you’re a sweeter side of the group. White wines are best known as the cold or chilled wines. These wines also offer a wide range of flavors. From the Pinot Grigio, to the Chardonnay to the Moscato, each one will provide your pallet with a different interaction. Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay will leave you with a bit of a bitter aftertaste, while a Moscato will set your sweet tooth ablaze. Although known best as a dessert wine, the Moscato is perhaps one of the easiest wines for anyone to try. It’s rich in flavor and provides you with a sweetness that can easily be compared to that of a pure juice. So is it wrong to drink a white warm? Or perhaps to sip an alternate red, such as a Shiraz (Editor's note: we'll use the French term here most of time since that's where the grape calls home, that's Syrah), chilled?

Honestly speaking, it’s a matter of personal preference. The best way to figure you which wine is best for you is to use a simple process known as just trial and error. (That's where a wine of the month club comes in, we focus on helping you try wine and wines that you might not have otherwise) The serving temperature will have an effect on the wines overall taste. A strong red may seem less potent chilled and a warm white may offer you a more subtle taste. Dare to be different, push the boundaries and chill a Merlot or sip on your warm Chardonnay. You will be amazed at how different each will taste with the variation in temperature. Everyone has heard the saying that wine is an acquired taste, the only way to know for sure is to uncork that first bottle of wine and give it a try.

Everyone observe things differently, we all have heard the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Something that catches your neighbor’s attention could very well be something that you will turn a blind eye to. For instance, when you walk into a store and look at the range of wines that are available. As you stroll down the aisles and browse the assortment, for a moment, you stop. Your eyes squint to gain a little focus. You tilt your head slightly as you reach for a bottle.

What was it that caught your attention? Was it the color of the wine or maybe the color of the label? Perhaps it was simply the artistry on the label.

Everyone Observe things differently, we all have heard the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Something that catches your neighbor’s attention could very well be something that you will turn a blind eye to. For instance, when you walk into a store and look at the range of wines that are available. As you stroll down the aisles and browse the assortment, for a moment, you stop. Your eyes squint to gain a little focus. You tilt your head slightly as you reach for a bottle.

What was it that caught your attention? Was it the color of the wine or maybe the color of the label? Perhaps it was simply the artistry on the label. Choosing a good quality wine cannot be solely based on look alone. In order to know what you are purchasing you need to have an understanding of what is contained in the bottle itself. The label could easily be considered the most important aspect of your decision to make a purchase. Unfortunately, not everyone knows or understands exactly what is coded in the label.

A wines label can tell you the history of the wine, where it is from and what you can expect upon your first taste. Understanding this vital information can help you to make more informative choices when choosing a new wine.

The most obvious information that you may notice on the label first is the name. This could be the name of the wine itself or the producer of the wine. Knowing who made the wine can help you to recognize similar wines from the same producer.

The grape variety and/or appellation provide you with pertinent information on what you will taste and where the wine is from. If you are looking for a specific taste, pay attention to the grape variety because it will tell you what types of grapes were used to produce the wine. Some bottles may also have the appellation indicated. This tells you where the grapes for the wine came from.

The alcohol levels are noted on the label as alcohol by volume or simply ABV. This tells you the percentage of alcohol in the bottle. Paying attention to this detail is a great way to know how strong the taste of the wine may be.

Vintage, is perhaps one of the most well known keywords to look for on the bottle. It is often mistaken for the year that the wine was bottled, which is incorrect. The term vintage actually refers to the year that the grapes, to make the wine, were harvested. For example the grapes could have been harvested in 2000, but the wine may not have been bottled until 2002.

Another word that may be listed on the label is word reserve. This sounds fancy, right? It could mislead you into thinking what you are holding is a “top-notch” bottle of wine. The term reserve correlates to the aging process. It means that the wine may have had extra aging time. Whether it’s on the label or not is almost irrelevant. It really isn’t something that is a make or break kind of deal. (Editor's note, it's one of the most common questions that comes up from people who are members of our monthly wine clubs, but we don't ship many "reserve" wines simply because the term has absolutely zero legal meaning in California wine.....it's solely a marketing tool)

Understanding the information contained on the label will help you to choose better quality wines.

I'm trying today ... I'll lift it up a little bit so you can see the whole bottle. By Benessere Syrah. A few of our wine club members are going to receive this this month. I wanted to take a couple minutes. We've worked with Benessere in the past, specifically a month or two ago where we shipped their Sangiovese. We've gotten some really, really good feedback about that. A couple customers compared it to something that they had in Brunello, or Italy, which is the ancestral home to Sangio. I don't know if I'd go quite that far, but the vineyard site definitely I think is among Napa's best, when it comes to Sangio. I think a lot of those same traits come through in the Syrah. The Sangio is a lighter in style. It's Napa, so it's going to be full of body. It's not going to be Oregon. Anybody who has that expectation or is looking for a French interpretation of a varietal, just is going to end up being unhappy. I think that's okay. The Syrah, much the same way. This is a lighter in style Syrah. It's definitely higher in acidity than anything else that you're going to find almost anywhere, at least from Napa. That's kind of what they're going for. I also think it speaks a little bit a lot ... I've talked a lot about the future of Syrah within California and why winemakers and winery owner and why everybody feels like Syrah's so important. I think this is an example of a Syrah that's going to work and work really well. It's fairly priced in the $40 range per bottle. I think Benessere is going to continue to do well with this. I hope anyone with a wine club membership likes it. I'm sure that they will. It's a different ... So often when people get Syrah for the first time, or they buy a Syrah at local wine store or grocery store without being able to try it, it's that mouth-puckering dry, which a lot of people will say it doesn't work as well with food. This is higher in acidity so I think people are going to like it better. I hope when you give it a try you like it. Thanks again. Mark Aselstine with Uncorked Ventures.